Why Did the Hawaiian Marketplace Fail?

I was wondering about the failure of the Hawaiian Marketplace on the south Strip. I read that the place is closed and going to be demolished. Why did it fail? The concept didn’t seem all that bad to me. People love to shop. And they certainly get a lot of foot traffic through that area. But somehow the place never became a success. I wonder why that is. Any thoughts?

Hawaiian Marketplace opened in 2007. The south Strip outdoor dining and retail center was clearly built to cater to the mega-popularity of Las Vegas with Hawaiians. Built at a cost of $175 million, it covered 80,000 square feet and was definitely well situated in terms of foot traffic, in a strategic location just around the corner from where Harmon Avenue intersects with the Las Vegas Strip.

But Hawaiian Marketplace’s fate rests with the issue of the highest and best use of real estate, especially on the Strip. What cut the mustard 15 years ago looks pretty low-end and old-hat now, compared to most of the current retail on the Boulevard.

But even back then, the concept was always somewhat half-baked; we remember visiting it when it opened and scratching our heads as to what it was supposed to be. The jumble of fake palm trees, ethnic restaurants with courtyard seating, and later, even a half-price-ticket booth seemed to us, especially as the years took their further toll, the very definition of urban blight, something you might see in a low-rent shopping district of Manila, Jakarta, or Guayaquil.

We like how VitalVegas' Scott Roeben puts it. "The Strip strip mall has been more of an ongoing fail than a recent one. It’s sort of in no- man’s land, with more interesting things all around it. It’s long been the butt of jokes, including the fact there was nothing Hawaiian about it.”

What’s more, the development wasn't nearly as valuable as the land on which it sits, especially after Tilman Fertitta, owner of the Golden Nugget, bought the southeast corner of Harmon and the Strip with the intent of building a high-end resort. Fertitta is the rising tide that lifts all boats, including the value of the Hawaiian Marketplace site. Indeed, even with the opening of two new restaurants, including the excellent and popular Chicks and Butts Memphis Soul Food, Hawaiian Marketplace had fallen upon such tough times that it sold to Gindi Capital in 2019 for less ($172 million) than it had cost to build a dozen or so years earlier.

Rather than have downmarket dining and retail in the shadow of Fertitta’s new kid on the block, why not demolish Hawaiian Marketplace in favor of higher-end retail? Makes perfect market sense to us. So down comes the statue of King Kamehameha and up goes … well, upmarket dining and shopping that's a lot more contemporary and slick, as befits the Strip.

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Comments

Jxs Sep-09-2022

It was always a joke, like Scott Roeben

I’m surprised you mentioned Scott. He’s an infamous shill that spreads rumors, and even worse gives positive reviews for free meals and comps.

VegasVic Sep-09-2022

LOL

Roeben is a paid casino shill. 

As for the market, why would Hawaiian's who vacation in Vegas want to go to a Hawaiian market?  They didn't, which is why it failed. And it really wasn't Hawaiian anyway, other than the name.

Diamonddog2801 Sep-09-2022

Music so loud it hurt

The music being pumped out, at volumes most stadium rock bands can only dream of, didn't help either.

Ray Sep-09-2022

What?

1) So, every time something is torn down and replaced with something "better" (or more profitable) it is considered a "failure? Like every casino-hotel that was torn down and rebuilt or replaced?                      2) The assumption that a "Hawaiian marketplace was built for Hawaiians is a bit far-fetched, too. Was Paris built for the French people? Are tribal gift shops, jewelry shops, clothing shops built for tribesmen? Are Italian restaurants built for Italian diners? C'mon! The place was to attract non-Hawaiians who go to Vegas, and if it wasn't quite Hawaiian, it didn't matter. Just like all the foreign themed hotels, casinos, restaurants, and stores.

O2bnVegas Sep-09-2022

Roeben is OK with me

I'm surprised at the vitriol posted about Scott Roeben.  Me, I enjoy his articles, photos, humor, etc.  Perhaps Jxs and VegasVic can post some facts based on their personal experience with Scott or his opinions (which of course we all know are like....).

Candy

hawks242424 Sep-09-2022

If anyone knows jokes

It has to be the walking joke Scott Roeben.  Maybe if the market place gave him a free meal he would have loved it!

hawks242424 Sep-09-2022

@O2bnVegas

Go on his blog and disagree with his "opinion" and it will be deleted by him.  Or disagree with him on twitter once and you will find yourself blocked.

He pushes unfounded rumors like Rio will be a baseball stadium or Sahara is closing, which hurts employees of such places who follow him and stop going to places.

Try and find a negative review, you know why you can't he gets some compensation to go places.  Don't bite the hand that feeds you.

Notice how he always loves Circa and doesn't point out a flaw there... also notice how he was "invited" to open up a new roulette table there.  

Listen make your cash and free meals how you can, just be honest about it.  

Anyone else I'm sure can chime in

Bob Nelson Sep-09-2022

Even if they wanted to go…

All the Hawaiians are downtown aren’t they?

VegasVic Sep-09-2022

@Hawks

Spot on, 100%.

Roy Furukawa Sep-09-2022

Down mMarket

Whenever I see the Strip, the east side of the boulevard always seems more downtrodden or lower end than the west side. Older casino buildings, lower end eateries, etc. I don’t think it was just the Hawaiian Marketplace that was an eyesore.

Question of the Day - 09 September 2022

Comments